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Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101670 03/30/06 03:20 PM
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Diane, stick with it. Never give up hope. I was medically retired in 01 and am still fighting for any compensation. My rating and status has been screwed up since the beginning. My father also has AS and is a retired Marine. He has benefits but is still fighting for proper classification etc.

The whole process is broke and Mike has been working hard with DOD etc. to get things fixed so future troops don't have such a hassle.


Jay

NOTE: If you aint here to help row the boat then you are welcome to walk the plank.
Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101671 03/31/06 04:43 AM
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Thanks for the encouragement, Jay. We'll hang in there - we've been through reevaulations before - even had his disability taken away in the early days (after 10 years, you keep what you have) and found that you can't do it alone.

When you say Mike is taking issues to the DOD, is he active military? Is there anything those of us can do to lend support? I think that all vets need to work together because there is power in numbers but you don't know where to start when you want to be an advocate. Thanks again, we really appreciate your support and kind words, Diane


John
Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101672 03/31/06 02:57 PM
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Diane,

a few of us have given our information to Mike and he has used that as ammo to point out flaws in the current system. For example I was medically retired by an MEB but classified under the wrong codes and wrong status, this meant they didn't really retire me and they didn't give me any benefits. All they did was say I was too broke to re-enlist after 9 1/2 years of service. If you read through some of the threads in this forum you can get an idea of some of the work he's been doing and the big wigs he's been working with to fix the situation.

It's encouraging to see a spouse take an interest in battling AS and the system. Keep it up. wink


Jay

NOTE: If you aint here to help row the boat then you are welcome to walk the plank.
Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101673 04/01/06 05:01 AM
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I did read through a few posts and I'm encouraged to hear that he is taking on such a huge job.

My husband and I have been married for 31 years and he has lived with his disability all that time. We also knew each other before he went to Vietnam so I knew him before his injury. So I really see how his injury has completely changed his life. And I have read so much about current enlisted men particularly the contaminated water and wonder why they are being put this all of this. I also read posts from atomic vets and all their sad stories.

If there is some way for some of us to help also, we would really like to. Thanks to you and all the others who responded to this post. It has been incredibly helpful and the referral to the DAV rep has given my husband renewed hope. It was the DAV rep who said to him "you are really hurt" - brought tears to his eyes after dealing with the VA who only was trying to prove he was exaggerating. Sad situation that we are treating our vets who gave so much this way. Thanks again, Diane


John
Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101674 05/24/06 12:17 PM
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I know it has been a while since my last post but, I am finaly getting off the proverbial couch and submitting my appeal paperwork with the DAV.
I sent LTC Parker my DA Form 199 a while back. On the form it stated VA codes 5099 & 5002 recomended disability percentage of 20%.
Am I to understand this correctly to mean that I should try and have this ammended? Or do I just need to get a review done through the DAV / VA to upgrade my disability percentage? (Am I coded correctly?)

The VA says I have a 10% disability, and on my DA form 199 it states 20%.. Why the discrepency?

My condition has gotten progressively worse over the years since my medical seperation. I am on constant pain pills. However I consider myself lucky to be able to lead a somewhat "normal" lifestyly. Allthough when I realy exert myself physicaly I find myself "paying for it" dearly the next day..
I drive a tractor trailer pulling a step deck trailer now, traveling all over the country. I understand this is not the ideal job for someone in my predictament but, it is the job that keeps the lights turned on and the morgage paid..
Having this condition sure as heck disqualifies me from more than 10% or even 20% of the jobs out there.
I wish I could have stayed in the military. I so deeply wanted to stay.. but, it was not ment to be I guess. Hooah, OOOH RAAH, and Semper Fi!


Scott
Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101675 05/24/06 07:47 PM
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I understand this is not the ideal job for someone in my predictament but, it is the job that keeps the lights turned on and the morgage paid..
Having this condition sure as heck disqualifies me from more than 10% or even 20% of the jobs out there.


I hear ya Scott! I too did what I had to do for 15 years so I could pay the bills. Hardest thing I've ever done in my life is putting my disability retirement paperwork in. Ended up being one of the best things too, as I feel 100% better now that I no longer have to work.


I wish I could have stayed in the military. I so deeply wanted to stay.. but, it was not ment to be I guess.

Wonder how many of us that were "kicked out" of the Military due to AS feel that way? I for one had all the intentions in the world to do 20+.....


AS/PsA DX in 1988

Retired on disability
in 2005 at age 44
Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
#101676 05/28/06 08:29 PM
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I am in the process of medical evaluation for AS. It looks like the likely diagnosis. I believe that I may have had it since I was a teen.

In 1997, I was medically discharged for a mood disorder and rated 10% by the Army. The VA upped this to 40% due to asthma. During my service, I had repeated medical visits for knee pain during basic training and later, wrist pain diagnosed as tendonitis (with no confirmatory tests done).

Should I revisit this and if so, how do I begin?

Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
Riplinger #179325 07/11/10 03:37 AM
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I was diagnosed with AS a year ago, luckly it was caught early enough that my symptoms are only mild in my hip joints and now that I take Humira, Aleave and work out regularly that I will for the most part be fine till I get old and grey.

I can tell you this, there is a small chance that if you have AS and recieve an Anthrax vaccine that it can aggrevat AS and or Arthritis and cause a flare up. I have read that many places. Not everyone will have this problem, unfortunatly I have not been deployed yet, I want to be but won't and I guess thats a good thing since I won't have to take that chance with the vaccine.

Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
mmparker #198625 02/19/11 04:19 AM
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I am new to the site. I was recently denied service connection for AS because it was diagnosed 5 years after discharge. I served in the Marine Corps and developed iritis while deployed in Iraq and also have X-ray reports showing sacroiliitis a few months after discharge. I have had multiple joint problems since service. I did receive the anthrax series. I am going to appeal the decision but was hoping I could gather some advice or opinions regarding the denial. I understand arthritis has a presumptive period of 1 year after discharge. I am unclear why I was denied with in service and presumptive period evidence. My VA examiner only commented on my spine and did not address eye involvement or link any other joint pain to the disease. Anyone have any advice for my appeal?

Mike

Re: VA Ankylosing Spondylitis Ruling
Tekaman2x #201210 03/13/11 09:12 PM
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I am in a very similar situation. My AS was caught early and I am currently on Humira and doing pretty will with regular exercise. I will be going to a deployable unit in the near future and will likely have to take the anthrax shot. Can you take the Anthrax shot while on Humira? Is anthrax a live vaccine?

Also I have been told that I should not be on Humira while deployed (Afghanistan or Iraq) because of the increased risk of TB. Has anyone else heard of this? I am not even sure I will be able to get Humira while deployed. I am hoping that if I can't take Humira I won't have too bad of flare ups for the 7-8 months I am deployed and I can handle it with NSAIDS.

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